RPGCast - Episode 174: "Action Jensen Saves the Preorder"

[sabin1001]

RPGCast - Episode 174: "Action Jensen Saves the Preorder"

What appeals more to you, an alpaca or an action figure? Perhaps you've been waiting to play a strategy RPG version of your favorite MMO? Ah, I know. You've been so excited about the upcoming Colosto-Wii that you've been looking for some concept art for it. Well we have you covered.

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[MasterChief]

I forgot to mention this last week, Chris, but you shouldn't feel bad about taking so long to complete Pokemon. I'm 118 hours in and still haven't beaten the Elite 4 yet in White.

[LegendaryZoltan]

Hey, Sabin. Thanks for playing my clip. It sounds like you really enjoy it and that makes me happy.

I have EXACTLY the same problem as you regarding feelings of obligation to complete games. Without a doubt, the best solution is to be like Manuel and just throw those feelings away and forget about "the perfect clear". But we can't do that because we're so hopeless, right? So, I'd say the very next best solution is simply don't buy much. I do it by vowing only to buy games that are from my favorite series' or games that look REALLY promising. Just buy games that you are sure will become your best OF the best. Cause, I could try to play all the Elder Scrolls games, all the Fallout games, and all my favorite PS1 rereleases but I'd be swamped. So instead, I just play Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Xenogears. We can live like that, can't we?

[Shadow4699]

I love this podcast yet I hate Chris, what should I do, shall I stop listening like a sensible person, or kill Chris with a Sonic hat? These are important questions that I must ask. But don't worry Chris, I shall find out the answer, and then give you a voicemail Chris when I find this answer, pay attention on Friday Chris, because I'm calling you out! *Phoenix Wright Epic Point* Ciao! Fool.

[Paws]

I think a more accurate generalization is there's a growing number of gamers who enjoy "empty" entertainment. That isn't very good for RPGs, which are a much more involved experience.

[Ocelot]

Or rather, there's a growing number of people who are getting into gaming, and a lot of these new gamers start out with simpler, emptier experiences (see: Angry Birds). Some of them will move into more complex games as they get older/more comfortable with gaming, others will stay with the kinds of games they originally enjoyed. It all depends on why you play games. Some people play them to unwind and do something mindless, some people play them as an e-sport to compete with other people, and some people play them for an in-depth entertainment experience. That last portion of gamers is more likely to play strategy games, RPGs, etc., but there's nothing wrong with those other gaming preferences. I'd say that the problem is less with gamers themselves and more with companies failing to understand how to market games to the non-male 16-25 segment (not that we don't have RPGamers in that population segment, but that that segment consists of the vast majority of shooter fans), and coming up with lame excuses/blaming gamers when their game failed to sell as expected... usually because they did a bad job of marketing, screwed up their project management, or just made a plain old not-great game.

[Paws]

Sorry, I didn't make the distinction between gamers who play casually and new gamers who play casually. Feels a little irrelevant; we know the number of people getting into games is definitely growing.

[MasterChief]

Or rather, there's a growing number of people who are getting into gaming, and a lot of these new gamers start out with simpler, emptier experiences (see: Angry Birds). Some of them will move into more complex games as they get older/more comfortable with gaming, others will stay with the kinds of games they originally enjoyed. It all depends on why you play games. Some people play them to unwind and do something mindless, some people play them as an e-sport to compete with other people, and some people play them for an in-depth entertainment experience. That last portion of gamers is more likely to play strategy games, RPGs, etc., but there's nothing wrong with those other gaming preferences. I'd say that the problem is less with gamers themselves and more with companies failing to understand how to market games to the non-male 16-25 segment (not that we don't have RPGamers in that population segment, but that that segment consists of the vast majority of shooter fans), and coming up with lame excuses/blaming gamers when their game failed to sell as expected... usually because they did a bad job of marketing, screwed up their project management, or just made a plain old not-great game.

Indeed. The real problem with gaming is that game companies are stupidly trying to find a catch-all formula for the one type of game everyone will love, and that, frankly, just doesn't exist.

You ask me, the only company that has figured it out is Ubisoft, who makes an ungodly number of games to cover all the bases. The rest of the game industry seems terrified to make the necessary money to make different games for different folks, at least beyond the token effort that we're seeing on the iOS scene.

[Just Doug]

What do I play on my PS3 while PSN is down? I'm replaying Valkyria Chronicles, a PS3 game with no online play and not even any trophies! (There is the DLC for it, but I've had that for ages.) It's been a while though... I found myself trying to use VC2 controls at first, heh.

[noodle]

*waits for people to comment on colosto-wii*

[brocksampson]

i think the vitality sensor should really be a power glove with built in vitality sensor... one for both hands...

[Shadow4699]

Ok, Noodle I'll admit it's probably going to beat the sales of the Stream (tentative title for Project Cafe), but I have to ask... why can't it have a Resident Evil lockpick? I want one. Also I may seem crazy, and unfeeling, but I do know one thing, when some one with the word otaku starts being disrespectful (as Nyx said) to westerners, and then says that they'll never stop bashing, don't you think it contradicts the statement from that same person, saying that they never did bash at all? Enjoy my brief sentence of sanity because you're probably not getting another one (unless someone makes me mad).

[shoptroll]

I think the Stream name is probably crossed wires or a mistranslation. AMD has some GPU functions for stream processing which became part of the OpenCL implementation they use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_Stream

Mod Note: If anyone is looking for some missing posts, let me know. Had to bust out the mop earlier.

[MasterChief]

Download the show: "Fezzes are Cool"
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Subscribe your Zune: Zune Player Link

Just noticed that. Might wanna get that fixed.

[shoptroll]

Or rather, there's a growing number of people who are getting into gaming, and a lot of these new gamers start out with simpler, emptier experiences (see: Angry Birds). Some of them will move into more complex games as they get older/more comfortable with gaming, others will stay with the kinds of games they originally enjoyed. It all depends on why you play games.

Well stated. This isn't just an issue with video games. I've seen the exact same thing in board games. I enjoy a fairly wide range of light to medium weight board/card games ranging from Fluxx to Bang! to Dominion and Race for the Galaxy. The people I play games with have either a wider or narrower range that they prefer. Some people are just happy to play Carcasonne once in a blue moon while others would be thrilled with an entire night dedicated to Wealth of Nations.

Different strokes and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Just everyone needs to keep an open mind

[Severin Mira]

Hey, Sabin. Thanks for playing my clip. It sounds like you really enjoy it and that makes me happy.

Can't speak for others but for me those clips you send in are great

Also, the Colosto-Wii scares me.

[Zaku77]

That flyer for the console turned out really well. I also spent all of last week lamenting that I did not have a colostomy bag! lol

[Paws]

I will be back this week. Woohoo!

[caddyalan]

I've seen the exact same thing in board games. I enjoy a fairly wide range of light to medium weight board/card games ranging from Fluxx to Bang! to Dominion and Race for the Galaxy...

Different strokes and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Just a year ago, I hadn't played any of the board/card games you mentioned. Now I've played two of the four, and I have friends who are probably willing to help me learn Dominion.

Being able to enjoy complex games of any type doesn't necessarily make a person more thoughtful. Being interested in simple games of any type doesn't necessarily make person more shallow. The way I figure it, balance is good. And if you ask me, anything can be done poorly or well.